ROCKVILLE, Md., Nov. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, members of the kidney community—including patients, policymakers, advocates, health care professionals, industry representatives and innovators—will gather for the American Kidney Fund (AKF)’s third annual Patient Access Initiative (PAI) Summit in Washington, D.C. The initiative and summit are integral to AKF’s commitment to addressing barriers to preventive services and quality treatment and identifying policy solutions that will improve health care access.
This year’s summit will focus on innovation and will highlight new technologies that can strengthen every stage of kidney care, from early detection to post-transplant management. The increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in kidney health—specifically how to use AI responsibly to promote equity and achieve better patient outcomes—will also be a focus.
Dr. Katalin Susztak, professor of medicine in the University of Pennsylvania Department of Genetics and co-chair of the Penn/CHOP Kidney Innovation Center, will be the event’s keynote speaker, discussing the work she and her team are doing to develop AI tools and datasets that can help tailor treatments for kidney patients. She will also share her research on genetic and molecular mechanisms that underlie kidney disease. Dr. Susztak, recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine, launched the Transformative Research in Diabetic Neuropathy Consortium, a public-private partnership to understand and treat diabetic kidney disease.
Other sessions at the summit include discussions on advancing innovative practices in prevention, screening and diagnosis for pediatric and adult patients; navigating the federal policy environment; and prioritizing upstream care in kidney disease. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) will also provide opening remarks.
“In order to meaningfully reduce the rates of kidney disease in the United States, we have to prioritize early diagnosis, prevention and proactive management of kidney health,” said LaVarne A. Burton, AKF President and CEO. “Investing in innovation will advance early detection, improve outcomes and reduce disparities in kidney care. Today’s Patient Access Initiative Summit is part of an ongoing, productive collaboration among patients, advocates, health care professionals, industry, innovators and policymakers to build a more equitable kidney health system.”
Attendees at the PAI Summit will receive AKF’s newly published policy roadmap entitled “Stemming the Tide of Kidney Disease,” which was developed with input from stakeholders at last year’s summit who collectively identified challenges to kidney care and health equity and policy solutions. The roadmap presents opportunities for action in five areas: prevention, screening and diagnosis of kidney disease, the connection between kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, the need for comprehensive health care coverage, kidney health education and workforce development.
Approximately 1 in 7 Americans has kidney disease and millions more are at risk. According to a recent study published in The Lancet, chronic kidney disease is now the ninth leading cause of death worldwide. Kidney disease has no cure and is known as a silent killer because it frequently is not detected until the later stages, when symptoms become more noticeable and severe. While damage to the kidneys cannot be reversed, steps can be taken to slow the progression if kidney disease is caught early. More than 815,000 people in the United States are living with kidney failure, the majority of whom must receive dialysis treatments multiple times a week to stay alive.
AKF is grateful for the generous support of Leadership Sponsors CorMedix Inc., CSL Vifor, Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation and Travere Therapeutics, Inc., Champion Sponsor Bayer and Supporting Sponsors Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amgen, Inc., CareDx and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., all of whom made the AKF Patient Access Initiative Summit possible.
About the American Kidney Fund
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) fights kidney disease on all fronts as the nonprofit with the greatest direct impact on people with kidney disease. AKF works on behalf of the 1 in 7 American adults living with kidney disease, and the millions more at risk, with an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease—from prevention through post-transplant living. AKF fights for kidney health for all through programs that address early detection, disease management, financial assistance, clinical research, innovation and advocacy. AKF is one of the nation’s top-rated nonprofits, investing 96 cents of every donated dollar in programs, and it has received 24 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator as well as the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar.
For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with AKF on Facebook, Bluesky, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Nancy Gregory American Kidney Fund (240) 292-7077 ngregory@kidneyfund.org